Argentina announced the successful launching of a missile booster, --identified as Gradicom PCX-2009-- in a firing range in the central province of Cordoba and said the event represented a “qualitative leap” for Argentine missile technology.

Gradicom PCX-2009 trial follows the recent testing of an Argentine version of the sea-air Aspide missile Photo: Ministerio de Defensa RA

The announcement was done by Defence Minister Nilda Garré and Federal Planning and Infrastructure minister Julio De Vido, who anticipated that the test rocket booster would now begin to be produced by Fabricaciones Militares (Military hardware manufactures) both for domestic and overseas markets.

“The purpose of the test was the homologation of the rocket booster in flight which had already been accomplished at the Ballistics Test Bank belonging to CITEDEF, Centre for Scientific and Technologic Defence Research, located in Villa María, province of Córdoba.

According to the official Defence release the booster was entirely developed by Argentine scientists and engineers, to be used in missiles, rockets, long range artillery and other civilian and military uses.

The head of CITIDEF engineer Eduardo Fabré said that the project “is an entirely Argentine construction made possible with the effort and support from Argentine scientists and engineers. It’s a vector of size and dimensions we are not used to, so it is in effect a great advance”.

Minister Garré said the achievement was a milestone and clearly in support of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s recent speech to the Army’s military academy where she reiterated Argentina’s determination to stimulate “national technology” particularly for defence purposes.

Only a few months ago CITIDEF successfully tested rocket PCX-2009, an Argentine version of Italian designed air defence missile Aspide. The trial was done from the frigate “ARA Argentina”.

Earlier this month Minister Garré also signed the final acquisition of Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina which is part of Fabrica Militar de Aviones, in Cordoba.

FMA was at the heart of Argentina’s air industry capabilities development which included the manufacture of Argentine designed turbine and jet aircrafts.

“This is an emblematic moment for the development of national defence and for the development of the province of Cordoba”, said Ms Garré at the time.

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exocet82- I think if the argentines were stupid enough to fire one of those crap old rockets at the Falkands it would probably miss. We on the other hand have these badboys - en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_missile?wasRedirected=true They make those old rockets of yours look pretty crap.

They have these on the nuclear subs that patrol falkland islands waters and I'm pretty sure they could hit any target on the agentine mainland. If you leave your address exocet82 we could probably post one through your letter box.

Hi there khh,
Glad that you brought up your cruise missiles. I once lived in the US andand once worked on the Tomahawk. So the only address I can give you is the that of the assembly plant. So I would reconsider your thoughts of mailing me a Tomahawk since the plant has been moved and there is child care center nearby. Now as usual, if it wasn't for the Americans, your military would be quite limited wouldn't it? I understand that the Argentine Navy will be adding a land attack capability to its current TR1700 and future subs. The Russians and Chinese have offered cruise missiles but Argentina seems to have decided to go at it alone. Apparently a cruise missile being developed by CITEDEF(I went to school right across the road from them by the way). How will they do it? Well just like the Israelis do it, by firing them right out of the torpedo tubes. CITEDEF is working on a variety of missiles, including air to air, air to ground/sea, oground to air. With he aircraft industry now under its control I am now hopeful that SAIA Advanced Aircraft wil become reality. Have a nice night lad.

The technology for this rocket booster is no great shakes from a technologcal and manufacturing point of view. Even in the Falkands the knowledge exists to cobble one together if anyone had the inclination or motivation. I'm sure they could also find a few aluminium tubes to fit the hardware in to give an impressive demonstration.

The real question for Argentina (and any other country) is available finance to go into production and the cost and availabilty of a suitable delivery platform.

Argentina is a mess. Yes. Their technology is not the best? No. They can only blame themselves for having such a corrupt and visionless form of government. Rest assured the Argentines hate it too.

The chillians are nothing but dirty smelly Maputo Indian traitors that have no gratitude for the nation that gave that miserable hairline of a country its independence.

The British? As low down and smelly as 99% of this faggoty people are I actually admire them. Their time will come. In case you didn't know it, they are balcanizing themselves to the point of self destruction and will be a muslim nation in less than 10 years so no worries with those losers.

The Kelpers or crappers or whatever these forsaken misfits go by, GET THE F--K OUT OF OUR ISLANDS!!!